Week 16 was not a good one for Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell. For the second straight game, head coach Ron Rivera opted to bench him in favor of veteran Jacoby Brissett. For the second straight game, Brissett was excellent in relief of the second-year quarterback.
Against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 15 and the New York Jets in Week 16, Howell completed only 17-of-48 pass attempts for 158 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. He was sacked only twice but faced a ton of pressure from opposing pass rushes who turned the Commanders’ offensive line into Swiss cheese.
Brissett was on the polar opposite end of the spectrum when it came to production. He completed 18-of-23 passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. That was enough for Rivera to name Brissett as the team’s starter in Week 17 against the San Francisco 49ers.
NFL News & Rumors: Sam Howell, Jacoby Brissett, Washington Commanders Updates
What does that mean for the future of Howell, a fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of North Carolina? It would not be a reach to say that Howell has started his final game for the Commanders.
Watching the offense sputter in the fashion it has in recent weeks with Howell leading the way has been tough to watch. He has struggled to consistently move the ball while Brissett has led the team to touchdowns on five out of his six drives.
A rough two weeks for a player in his first year as the starting quarterback normally wouldn’t be enough to get a player benched permanently. But, these are far from normal circumstances with the Commanders. After the sale of the team from Daniel Snyder to a group headed by Josh Harris, major changes are likely on the horizon.
NFL News & Rumors: Sam Howell, Jacoby Brissett, Washington Commanders Updates
A new coaching staff and front office will probably be in place sooner than later. That kind of uncertainty makes it plausible that Howell will not factor into the starting quarterback decision in 2024, especially if the team is as smitten with Caleb Williams as it has been reported and they are position to select him in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Howell has proven that he can at least competently lead an NFL offense for periods of time. But, with the regime that drafted him likely out the door, his role with the team is very likely going to change as well. If a quarterback is drafted high in the first round by the Commanders, it would signal the beginning of the end for Howell as the team’s starting quarterback of the future.
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